The Sultan in Luck

Pina Bausch Centre under construction, Bundesallee 260, Wuppertal
Admission free! Donation requested.

A theatre play by and with Hussam Azzawi
for adults and young adults aged 14 and over

Director and text: Hussam Azzawi
Production: Azawi Theatre

Hussam Azzawi is an actor, director and founder of the multinational Azawi Theatre. He graduated from the Institute of Drama and Theatre in Damascus (Syria) and has worked on numerous stage and television productions. His theatre works include adaptations of literary works by Anton Chekhov, Fyodor Dostoyevsky and contemporary plays. With his ensemble, he brings socio-critical themes to the stage that explore the interplay between power, society and the individual.

The Sultan in Luck is a socially critical satire about power, oppression and the mechanisms of dictatorship. The play is set in an imaginary palace state and follows the tyrannical sultan who, despite all the efforts of his subjects - singing, dancing, music - has nothing but contempt for them. Everything is ‘rubbish’, as he repeatedly exclaims. His loyal servant Abd, played by the author himself, takes centre stage. Abd is the only one who has access to the Sultan and carries out his will directly. But when Abd tells the Sultan of the people's dissatisfaction, the Sultan only shouts at him. Abd is soon expelled from the palace - his social status declines. The roles are reversed: His wife becomes the dictator in the house. Abd tries to appease her with the same means that were previously used against him - to no avail. A mysterious fortune teller (played by the experienced Syrian actress Maha) predicts that the Sultan will be assassinated. In order to survive, he is told to swap roles with Abd. Abd thus becomes the new sultan - and repeats the same atrocities. But eventually he realises that he himself is no better than his predecessor. He lays down his crown and asks the people to elect a worthy ruler. But the people remain silent - and reinstall him. The final message: people create their own dictators.

The play will be performed by a multinational ensemble, including the Ukrainian actress Tatia Aleksandrovna, a graduate of the Odessa Theatre Academy, Maha Abu Al Qasem (Syria, experienced in theatre and dubbing) and Hussam Azzawi (author, director, actor).

Language: Arabic with German surtitles.
Duration: 90 minutes including two breaks

Participants:
Sultan: Assaad Al Dbayyat
Abd: Hussam Azzawi
Ehefrau: Tatia Aleksandrovna
Wahrsagerin: Maha Abu Al Qasem
Musicians, dancers, children – members of the Azzawi ensemble